Bigin by Zoho CRM
6.8/10Bigin is a pipeline-based CRM from Zoho for small and micro businesses that need affordable deal tracking, contact management and simple automation.
Data last updated November 2026 · Our methodology
Overview
Bigin is the lightweight CRM that Zoho launched in May 2020 for small businesses that find a full CRM too complex. It is organised around team pipelines. Users track contacts, companies, products and deals through visual stages, and can call customers using the built-in phone feature. Other included features are web forms, a business card scanner, email and WhatsApp integration, workflow automation, follow-up sequences, dashboards and native iOS and Android apps. Pricing is per user. There is a free plan for one user with 500 records. Express costs $9 per user per month on monthly billing, or $7 on annual billing. Premier costs $15 or $12 and adds lookup and formula fields, stage transition rules, multiple currencies and Zia AI credits. Bigin 360 costs $21 or $18 and raises the limits to 1 million records, 15 pipelines and 100 automation rules. Records, pipelines, automations and AI credits can be extended with paid add-ons called toppings. Integrations include Zoho Books, Zoho Sign, Zoho Meeting, Google Workspace, Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Mailchimp, QuickBooks and Zapier, and paying users can move up to Zoho CRM. Security features include SSO, MFA through Zoho OneAuth, roles and profiles, audit logs, and GDPR and HIPAA support. The main limitation is customisation. Reviewers repeatedly say that fields, workflows and reports are limited, and that marketing tools are basic, so larger or more complex teams can outgrow it.
Our Rating
Who Bigin by Zoho CRM is best for
Good fit
Zoho built and priced Bigin specifically for small and micro businesses.
The free plan covers one user, and reviewers mention freelancers as a good fit.
The free plan and low per-user prices suit early-stage teams, and reviewers describe a quick setup.
Pipelines, sequences, calling and target meters cover the basics of small sales teams.
Less suited
Multiple team pipelines can model client work, but customisation is limited.
- Mid-Market4/10
Reviewers say it can feel limited for larger teams with complex needs.
It is positioned as entry-level, with Zoho CRM as the upgrade path.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Paid plans start at $7 per user per month on annual billing, below HubSpot and Salesforce according to reviewers.
- Small teams can set it up quickly. Zoho cites a 30-minute guided setup, and a PeerSpot reviewer was operational within about two weeks.
- The free plan includes built-in calling, mobile apps and web forms.
- It connects natively to the Zoho suite, and paying customers can upgrade to Zoho CRM.
- Security features include SSO, MFA, audit logs and HIPAA-related controls.
Cons
- Reviewers often cite limited customisation of fields, workflows and reports.
- Marketing tools are basic, and WhatsApp messaging requires buying credits.
- Some users find the mobile interface weak.
- PeerSpot reviewers found the slab-based pricing and limits confusing.
- It has no built-in support ticketing.
Key Features
Bigin by Zoho CRM Pricing
Free
- 1 user
- Web forms
- 1 pipeline
- 500 records
- Mobile apps
- 3 automations
- 1 booking page
- Built-in phone
- Standard dashboards
- Developer APIs and Zapier
Express
or $84/user/year (save 22%)
- Mass emails
- 30 automations
- 50,000 records
- 3 team pipelines
- Customizable dashboards
- 10 custom fields per module
- Zoho Sign and payment links
- Email and WhatsApp integration
- Google, Outlook, Teams, Zoom, Mailchimp, QuickBooks integrations
Premier
or $144/user/year (save 20%)
- Target meter
- 100,000 records
- 5 team pipelines
- Multiple currencies
- Stage transition rules
- 50 advanced automations
- 1,000 AI credits per month
- 25 custom fields per module
- Lookup, formula and user fields
Bigin 360
or $216/user/year (save 14%)
- 1,000,000 records
- 100 booking pages
- 15 team pipelines
- File Cabinet with 5 GB
- Email-In with 5 aliases
- 1,000 mass emails per day
- 3,000 AI credits per month
- 50 custom fields per module
- 100 advanced automation rules
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. The free plan covers one user with 500 records, one pipeline and three automations.
Per user per month, Express costs $9 on monthly billing or $7 on annual billing, Premier costs $15 or $12, and Bigin 360 costs $21 or $18. Local taxes are added on top.
Yes. Zoho positions Bigin as an entry-level CRM that businesses can move up from to Zoho CRM if they outgrow it.
Yes. Built-in telephony lets users call leads and customers from inside Bigin, and it is available on the free plan.
Single sign-on, multi-factor authentication through Zoho OneAuth, roles and profiles, audit logs, and GDPR and HIPAA-related controls.
Yes. Paid toppings add records, pipelines, automations, booking pages and AI credits. Their prices are not published on the pricing page.
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